Cycling: Spanish-based Corkman Dermot Nally had a victorious homecoming yesterday on stage three of the FBD Milk Rás when he surged to the first win of his professional career, writes Shane Stokes
The Paternina-Costa Del Almeria pro - who is guesting with the Galway team for the race - timed his final attack to perfection, darting clear of a large breakaway group inside the final kilometre and reaching the line in Charleville some two seconds clear.
"It's great to get this win, it is the first of my pro career," he said. "Coming into the race I had targeted a stage victory and a top-10 finish overall. I've got the first of those now and am up there in the general classification (he is now seventh) so I'm pretty happy with things so far."
Nally, a Cork city native who moved to Valencia when he was six-years-old, can be very satisfied with the victory, given that he showed both strength and great tactical awareness during the course of the 152-kilometre stage.
Right after the start in Oranmore a dangerous move of nine riders went clear, containing riders from several of the strong foreign teams plus the Irishmen David McCann, Paul Healion and Daniel Lynch.
Over the course of the next 70 kilometres they maintained a lead of well over a minute, despite some scrappy co-operation.
At Birdhill (84 kilometres) it seemed that the game was up with the main bunch closing to within 10 seconds of the leaders. Yet they pulled away once more. The near-junction was however just the ticket for Nally, who powered across the gap and took his place up front.
Several other riders later managed to bridge across, including Denis Lynch, Tommy Evans, Malcolm Elliott and the Kerry-team trio of Seán Lacey, Vincent Gleeson and Ritchie Cahill.
This swelled the front group to 18 riders, increasing expectations of a big sprint to the line.
Nally, however, saw things differently. Jumping clear on a drag inside the final kilometres, the Corkman hurtled clear to a two-second margin of victory, leaving Kazakhstan's Valeriy Dmitryev and Elliott to take the lesser prizes. Englishman Elliott does, however, have the consolation of the green points jersey and a place in the overall top 10.
Also up there are fourth-placed David O'Loughlin along with David Lynch, Nally, McCann and Lacey, who also took top under-23 rider spot.
They are all within 52 seconds of yellow going into today's first real mountain stage, a marathon 181 kilometres to Cahirciveen.
FBD MILK RÁS - Stage 3 (Oranmore to Charleville): 1, D Nally (Galway) 152 kilometres in 3 hours 37 mins 5 secs; 2, V Dmitryev (Kazakhstan) at 2 secs; 3, M Elliott (Yorkshire - Murphy and Gunn); 4, K Kananen (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic); 5, D McCann (Ireland - Thorton's Recycling); 6, D Lynch (Ireland - Thornton's Recycling) all same time; 7, S Lacey (Kerry) at 5 secs; 8, J Norfolk (Wales Stena Line) at 6 secs; 9, K Dawson (Yorkshire - Murphy and Gunn) same time. Cuchulann Crystal county rider, stage: D Nally.
International team: 1, Ireland - Thorton's Recycling, 10 hours 51 mins 31 secs; 2, Yorkshire - Murphy and Gunn, at 1 min 11 secs; 3, Kazakhstan, at 1 min 23 secs County team: 1, Kerry, 10 hours 51 mins 36 secs; 2, Galway, at 2 mins 17 secs; 3, Dublin Usher IRC, at 2 mins 24 secs.
General Classification: 1, V Bonca (Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj) 10 hours 33 mins 52 secs; 2, P Renang (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic) at 6 secs; 3, M Lovatt (Yorkshire - Murphy and Gunn) at 18 secs; 4, D O'Loughlin (Ireland - Thornton's Recycling) at 22 secs; 5, A Malarczyk (Wales Stena Line) at 28 secs; 6, D Lynch, at 46 secs; 7, D Nally, at 47 secs; 8, K Kananen (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic) at 49 secs; 9, M Elliott; 10, D McCann, all same time.Points: 1, M Elliott, 26; 2, D McCann, 25; 3, D Nally, 24;
Mountains: 1, J Schiwedler (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) 18; 2, T Lergard (Bianchi Scandinavia Nordic) 14; 3, B Filip (Slovenia Perutnina Ptuj) 12.
